Airline travel is hours of boredom interrupted by moments of stark terror.

I knew from the beginning that privacy was going to be a huge issue especially with regard to applying Total Information Awareness in counterterrorism. Because if the technology development was successful a logical place to apply it was inside the United States.

To a considerable extent we are faced by a technology arms race with terrorists. The communications revolution has made it easier for terrorist groups to reach out to vulnerable individuals with their violent extremist ideology and propaganda. It has also facilitated fundraising recruitment and training.

Countries across the world are taking action now to help them track paedophiles and terrorists who abuse new technology to plot their horrific crimes.

This is technology that will not go away. And to risk it moving into the hands of a terrorist group like al Qaeda or to other focused enemies of the United States would have tragic consequences.

We're in a new world. We're in a world in which the possibility of terrorism married up with technology could make us very very sorry that we didn't act.

If the terrorists have the sympathy of people it's much harder to find them. So we need people on our side and that leads us to be responsible leaders of the world show some concern with the problems.

I admire President Chavez for his strength to resist the United States. Instead Bush is waging a war of terrorism against the world.

When terrorists attacked the symbols of our national unity and strength they failed to realize that they were just symbols of our strength. The real strength of our nation comes from our people - not our buildings.

The weapon of the Republic is terror and virtue is its strength.